Mary Lou Williams

It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of our mother Mary Lou Williams. Mary Lou was more than just a mother; she was a friend, a confidante, and a source of inspiration. Surrounded by her loving children on September 6, 2024 at the age of 82, Mary peacefully transitioned into the afterlife leaving behind a legacy of love, compassion and strength. Mom handled life gracefully no matter what came about and she always had a smile on her face. She fought bravely to the very end. Born on June 15, 1942 in Massillon Ohio, she was a ray of sunshine to everyone who knew her. Her dedication to her family was evident in all aspects of her life. As our mother, she was nurturing, patient, and supportive, always putting the needs of her children before her own. Her love was boundless and her warmth will be deeply missed by all who were fortunate to be touched by her presence. In addition to her role as a mother to Kelee and Tighe (Joy) Williams, she was a grandma to Joshua and Andrew Williams. Mary Lou is preceded in death by her parents George and Clotilda Scharon as well as her siblings Joe Scharon, John Scharon, Robert Scharon, Connie East and Ruth Baumgardner. She was also a fun-loving aunt to her many nieces and nephews. Her love for her family was the force behind everything that she did and her absence will be deeply felt by all who knew her. Mary Lou found joy in the simple pleasures of life like palling around with her grandchildren. She worked as a hair-dresser most of her life as well as an administration assistant, most recently working for orthopedic surgeons and doctors.  Mary Lou had a wonderful sense of humor, enjoyed life and never let things get her down, no matter how hard they seemed.  She loved Bob Chinn’s Crabhouse, martinis and oysters at Shaw’s and taking her grandchildren to Taco Bell.  She spent her Saturday afternoons doing her best friend Barb’s hair and then having lunch with her.  Mary Lou regularly attended 5:00 mass on Saturday evenings with her daughter at St. Isidore.  She was also a great cook, had a generous spirit and was always making food for her daughter and running meals over to her son and daughter-in-law’s house.  Mary Lou loved playing Wii bowling with her son, daughter-in-law and grandsons and she was so good that she usually won the bowling matches. She had a soft spot for animals and in particular dogs.  She took such great care of all of her pets throughout the years, including Happy Jax, Kenzie, Fairway, Cupcake, Toto and Puddles (and they loved her so much in return).  Her favorite perfume was Shalimar, she wore blue eyeshadow religiously and she rarely left the house without applying her blush, her brick red lip pencil and her MAC lipstick.  She was always young at heart and wore a short, blonde, trendy hairstyle.  Most people thought that she was 20 years younger than her actual age because she had such great skin, dressed so cute and had such an outgoing personality.  Mary Lou could not get enough of Sbarro pizza or Wheel of Fortune. A celebration of Mary Lou’s life will be held on Saturday, September 28, 2024 at Salerno’s in Roselle from 12 to 4 pm. The chapel service will be at 3 pm, where family and friends will gather to honor her. Mary Lou will be forever remembered for the love she gave, the lives she touched and the legacy she leaves behind. May she rest in eternal peace. RIP Mom. We love you and will keep you alive in our hearts forever.